


Between the Lines

by blessende



Series: Searching for Levi [10]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Military, Alternate Universe - Science Fiction, Bullying, Friendship, M/M, Parallel world, ragging
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-22
Updated: 2018-03-22
Packaged: 2019-04-06 11:32:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,508
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14056077
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blessende/pseuds/blessende
Summary: Leading the triple life of soldier, college student and a teenager in love was not as easy as he'd thought it to be.  Set in the Searching for Levi universe. Year 2009.





	Between the Lines

 

2009

 

Between the Lines

 

 

 

 

It was a quiet night in December, and Eren found himself on a vigil at gateway point ninety two. He was in Sylvan's Central Park, sitting atop a high sequoia. The nineteen-year-old was reclining with his back to the trunk, his wrist watch beeping incessantly as it reacted to the presence of 92's gateway. Eren Jaeger, fresh out of training, reached into the pockets of his parka and drew out his gate key, feeling it grow heavy in his palm. He heard the susurrus of leaves and went alert. At the approach of a visitor, he stowed the key back into his pockets hurriedly and scanned the woods in search of the newcomer.

The boy heard the familiar sound of whirling cables, cantering footsteps and soon... he spotted Annie scaling up a tree, aided by her maneuvering gear. She planted one foot on a branch, testing its strength before turning to him. Her face was painted white like chalk; her blue eyes drawn in that usual mix of boredom and self-interest. She showed no hint of vertigo despite her quick climb. Dressed in an identical green parka and slim jeans, Annie took to the high branch of the cedar for a seat. As she settled down, the blonde studied Eren in the silence.

'Slow day?' she asked with a small smile that showed white teeth.

Eren had known the girl for four years, and he still found it easier to read a brick wall than her.

'Why?' Eren inquired with a trace of suspicion.

Annie motioned to the woods.

'You're in my zone,' she pointed out.

Eren looked at her peevishly.

'We are partners, Annie. Not fucking silos.'

The girl gauged him for a long moment before giving a shrug. Annie bit into her lower lip and drew out a knife from her pocket. She carved a line into the tree, testing the tool's sharpness.

'Yeah... we're not silos but our superiors are different. May I remind you, Jaeger, that I don't report to _Lance Corporal_ Rivaille Levi,' she said, speaking the name in a way that was meant to rile Eren up.

Eren chewed on his lower lip and resisted the argument. 

Instead, Eren turned to his backpack and unzipped it. Oh, he knew what she was trying to do. And no, he wasn't going to get into a debate with her. Because the brown haired young man could guess that's what she really wanted. In the silence of the trees, he drew out the hilt of his zirconium blade and decided to spend his excessive energy into doing something more useful. Crossing his legs, he began to check the equipment, hoping the work would keep him occupied for the remainder of the watch.

A long moment passed, and neither said a word.

Eren noticed that she was staring at him.

'What?' he demanded of the girl. 'If you've got something to say, Annie… spill it!'

Annie considered him with a simmer of a smile.

'You're all talk, aren't you, Jaeger? At least you're calmer than you used to be.'

Eren gave her a puzzled look.

'What the heck's that supposed to mean? You make me sound like I am some raging kid who's always looking for trouble.'

She let out a bark of laughter.

'That's you in a nutshell, alright.'

Eren retracted his blades back into the hilt and sent a glare her way.

'Wow. You're awfully chatty today, ice queen.'

'Chatty because I heard some rumors. Interesting rumors, I daresay.'

'What rumors?' Eren prompted her.

Annie turned to him, and the smile was now gone.

'A birdie told me that someone got laid recently.'

Eren felt his mouth go painfully dry. He wanted to rebuke the allegation, but from the smug expression on his partner's face, he realized that the girl had credible sources. He cursed mildly under his breath, before turning his attention to the bark of the sequoia. He chipped a layer of the redwood awkwardly. This wasn't fair. Why did she know about _that_?

The peacekeeper cleared his throat.

'Who… told you?'

'A birdie called Thomas. Marco too.'

Eren grimaced. Great, did the _whole_ unit know about his private life? The brunet made a silent vow to kill Thomas and Marco when he got to the other side.

'So, what's next?' Annie teased him, her voice sounding fruity amidst the sound of crickets. 'You guys gonna walk hand in hand in a park? Move in together? Going to adopt a kitten?... Or do I hear wedding bells? Oh wait, none of that is possible. Because for one, _our_ society won't accept it. And two, he is an _alien_.'

Eren hissed sharply and looked straight at her.

'Christ, Annie. What's your problem? If it's your PMS talking again--'

The blonde shrugged and leaned back against the trunk of the cedar. She stretched her long legs out from under her, dangling them over the branch. 'Oh, I am just concerned, Jaeger. Concerned for you. Concerned for me. And concerned for the rest of this world of ours. I am just wondering how you're planning to do this star-crossed love affair.'

Eren blinked as he studied the laces on his boots.

'So, it's... going to be a long distance relationship. Big deal.'

A snort.

'A long distance relationship?' Annie repeated, eyes wide, her gaze incredulous. Her mirth dissolved, and she cast a dark look at him. 'Are you so naive, Eren? You are a million light years away. He is from another world. Another planet, for goodness sake. That's not long distance. It's impossible, disturbing and... _wrong_ , that's what it is. You are fucking an E.T, you realize that, right? You're fucking a goddam Titan. Spielberg would make a movie out of you.'

Eren looked at her icily. He refrained from telling her that he was half Titan himself.

Annie watched him with equal diffidence.

'You know how our society is,' she said, her tone dropping to dead seriousness. 'Our folks can't even come to terms with homosexuality. Forget this parallel world bullshit. It's not going to work out, you know it.'

Eren paused, inhaling deeply and stashed his equipment back into the bag. And Eren Jaeger did something that ought to make his mother proud. He decided to walk away. Yes, he walked away. Instead of stirring up trouble, instead of getting into a meaningless fight, he determinedly walked away. Eren stood on his feet and after giving Annie a scathing look, he descended down the redwood tree. And just when he reached the forest floor, Gale took it as an opportune moment to report suspicious activity on the Avalon Gates.

Eren looked up at Annie as she readied herself to leave.

'You coming?' the girl yelled from the heights of foliage. 'Looks like we'll be tackling a guerrilla bot.'

Eren shook his head.

'I am done for tonight. It's all yours, Annie.'

Annie gave him a searching look.

'Aw, did I hurt your feelings, love?'

Eren scowled as he turned away.

'No. You don't like working in a team anyway, do you?'

Annie smirked.

'Gee, thanks,' was the last thing he heard her say.

 

 

 

 

Having put away his PeaceCorp parka and his machinery into the safe hold of his backpack, Eren was returning to his dorm room and climbing the last flight of stairs, when his wrist watch buzzed. The brunet had entertained a hope that it would be a certain someone on the other end, calling to check on him. He couldn't hide his disappointment when the caller turned out to be Oluo Bozado instead.

 _Oi newbie_ , greeted Oluo in his crass manner as always.

Eren reached the second landing of the dormitory and gave a resigned sigh.

'Hey Oluo,' Eren said dully.

 _Tch_ , came the small sound of disapproval. _Is that any way to be greeting your senior officer, you little runt?_

Eren pulled a face and was really glad that the man couldn't see it. The last thing he needed was to piss off Oluo. The members of Levi squad were always wary of him, and he suspected it had something to do with his Earthborn status. Though to give them due credit, Eren's criminal record for juvenile behavior did speak for itself.

'I'm sorry, sir. It's 2 am on my time and--' Eren yawned against a hand and shook his head in a vain attempt to stay awake, '-- and I am sleepy as hell.'

_Pah! Excuses, excuses, that's all we get from you. And what is this I hear about you deserting tonight's assignment? We, in Corporal Levi's Squad, do not delegate our duties to others. Do you hear me, rookie? We NEVER delegate! Some PeaceCorp you are turning out to be, cocky brat!_

Eren cast a harried glance at the ceiling of the dorm's hallway. He had a funny feeling that nothing he did would ever reach up to Squad Levi's expectations. Perhaps, the fault was entirely his own. Oluo and Petra still hadn't forgiven him for impersonating the Corporal and getting on everyone's bad side.

_'Oi, do you hear me?'_

'Yes sir. Loud and clear as always.'

_'Huh? Did you just call me loud, you arrogant gnat? Are we stooping to underhanded insults now, you puny earthling?'_

Eren scrunched up his face. He was too exhausted for this banter.

'No, that's not what I meant.'

_'You do realise I am sitting in HQ, monitoring these gateways all to protect YOUR wimpy planet, rookie?'_

Eren stifled a sigh as he stepped up to his dorm room. Once Oluo got started, it was tough to shut the man up. Eren finally reached his door, and just as the peacekeeper patted his pockets in search for the room key, he grew aware to the voices emerging at the end of the corridor.

'They made an anti-ragging society! Can you believe the college board?'

'I hear you, pal. First, a ban on drinks and weed. Now this. School takes the fun out of everything!'

'You think any of the freshmen would squeal if we rag them?'

A panicked Eren turned to his comm.

'Oluo, I gotta go. I will explain later!' he said hurriedly.

_'WHAT? Now you listen here, punk--'_

But Eren had switched the network off.

The peacekeeper's search for the key turned more frantic, because the boisterous group had turned the final corner. Great, as if the universe was going all out to get him, there was the senior crowd now... making its way towards him. And while Eren Jaeger had not really paid much attention in his college classes, he had learnt two maxims from his fellow first years. The rules were simple; the first being that freshmen should avoid seniors like the plague.

_If you know what's good for you._

Eren thanked the gods when he finally found the damned key. He jabbed it into the lock and had almost turned the knob to his room, when he heard the loud footsteps stop behind him. _Uh oh_. A stout arm curled around his shoulder, pulling him away from the safety of his room.

'Hellooo first year. Whatcha doing?' someone breathed into his ear in a low voice.

When Eren turned around, he felt his stomach drop in queasiness.

Oh why, why, why--

'What's your name?' asked a curly haired senior, who looked like he belonged to the rugby team. His arms were burly, his bloodshot eyes sunken into his face, and he gave Eren a look of utter resentment. The leer on the other two senior's faces didn't look reassuring either.

'Um--' Eren started to explain, eyes dancing for excuses.

Cal, which was his name, chuckled.

'Hello 'um'. Nice to meet you, buddy. Odd name though.'

The brown haired peacekeeper grimaced.

'It's Eren actually,' the boy tried to correct. 'Eren Jaeger.'

'Okay, Eren. What were you doing out so late? It's way past curfew, noob.'

The PeaceCorp looked up and down the hallway shiftily, searching for a believable excuse.

'It was a family emergency. My aunt, uh, she had a relapse--'

'Your aunt?' another senior called Benjamin asked, having caught Eren's backpack in a vice like grip. The older boy was yanking the bag away from Eren's shoulder.

'Darn, this is heavy. You took your texts with you, kid? Why do you need your books if it was a family emergency?'

'Seems like our good freshman is lying, eh?' a third senior named Stuart concluded. 

Cal, the giant with the arm curled around Eren, began to pull the brunet away from his room. 'How about we go out for a little fun, eh, Mr. I-am-no-stickler-for-rules?'

Eren opened his mouth to protest and clamped it shut again. He had a rotten feeling about this. He wanted to turn the bullies down or better yet, challenge them to a fist fight. But there was the second maxim that first years had to learn the hard way.

_Never say no to your seniors._

_If you know what's good for you._

 

 

 

The seniors' idea of _fun_ was apparently tossing him into a swimming pool. Fully clothed. And at fucking 2 am on a December morning. Eren Jaeger would have appreciated if the bullies had spared his backpack. But Cal had thrown the bag in, soon after. Eren could hear the deep echoes of their laughter even when he went down under. The mocking jeers made his blood churn. The water was freezing; his lungs and brain traumatized from the assault of the insipid cold. And there was the call of the cold fury in his veins, mocking his inability to retaliate against them. No, not this time because Eren Jaeger couldn't afford to get suspended. Not when Sylvan university was the closest he could be to his mother.

And if his night couldn't go any possibly worse, the only person who had been witness to the ragging ... had to be his childhood rival.

Jean 'Horseface' Kirstein.

Eren didn't know what the other boy was doing out here in the middle of the night. Dressed in a beige cardigan and sitting on the bleachers, Jean looked amused and had probably seen all. From Eren pissing off the seniors with his crude remarks on their 'size' to Eren being dunked headfirst into the water.

His rival got to his feet and walked to the edge of the pool.

'What the hell are you doing, Jaeger?' the ashbrown asked as Eren surfaced, spewing out leaves from his mouth and chlorinated water from his nose. 'There are easier ways to get yourself killed, you know.'

Eren coughed out some more water and with a grunt, swam towards his floating backpack. He could only hope that the equipment inside was waterproof. Eren dragged the wet mass to Jean's edge of the pool.

The wet peacekeeper cast an annoyed glance up at the taller man.

'Are y-you going to help me up or n-not?' Eren asked, his teeth chattering.

Jean smirked and crouched at the edge of the swimming pool. Rolling up one sleeve of his cardigan, the ashbrown extended an arm out to Eren.

'Come on, Tiger. Grab my hand.'

Eren caught his arm, his wet fingers latching on to the veined skin. The peacekeeper was mildly surprised that the prankster was actually helping him. Or was there an ulterior motive behind it all? Maybe, Jean was throwing him a bait, trying to catch Eren off guard.

'You w-won't throw me back in, will you?' Eren asked suspiciously.

Jean gave a wolfish grin.

'As tempting as that sounds, Jaeger, I promise I won't.'

And Jean kept his word.

 

 

 

When Eren returned to his dorm room later that night (though he ought to call it morning), the sun was already rising across the horizon, the sparrows and thrushes were twittering about on the university's green lawn. The birds chased worms and crickets, immune to the fact that Eren had never felt so low. The peacekeeper was not in cheery spirits. Eren mumbled a train of expletives as he slammed the door to his room shut and trudged his way to the bed, leaving a trail of water behind him. Eren's t shirt was soaked, so were his pants, his parka a stinking mess and his eyes were red from the chlorine of the swimming pool. Eren stripped himself and collapsed on his covers, pulling the pillow towards him.

He was fine really.

He'd been facing off bullies since middle school.

He could handle his acerbic partner, the morons at college and the constant barrage of demeaning insults against his world. He could also handle being a failure.

What he didn't know how to handle was... his stupid heart, always pining for someone who didn't miss him as much as Eren did.

Eren growled and swept a hand through the wet strands of his hair.

Annie's words still echoed in his mind.

 

_He's from another world. Another planet. That's not long distance. It's impossible, disturbing and... wrong._

 

Eren dragged the pillow over his head and hoped sleep could erase those words from his head.

 

 

 

Eren woke up to the sound of annoying beeps. He swatted at his alarm but realised late that it wasn't his alarm clock rampaging against his finer senses. He squeezed one eye open and found that it was his wrist watch beeping.

Figures Oluo would be calling him for that report.

Or worse, it could be Petra.

With his head throbbing as though it had been wacked with a baseball bat, Eren struggled to sit up. He ignored the watch, wondering why the thing was waterproof in the first place. And why did he feel as if he was living on Greenland despite the heater being on? His skin was hot and clammy to the touch. As Eren reached for the thermometer, he gave in to the annoying network and switched his comm. on.

'Yes, Oluo sir,' he said, sounding hoarse and feverish even to himself. 'I am here. And I am sorry about cutting short your call last night,' the brunet said, placing the thermometer in his mouth.

There was a pause; Eren was beginning to turn unnerved from the silence on the other end.

Oluo was never quiet.

'It's me,' a voice spoke up.

A voice which was clearly not Oluo Bozado for it was too calm and enduring. Never excitable or showing a hint of what storm currents passed below the surface.

Eren stared at the watch in silence. So astounded was he that the thermometer almost slipped out of his gaping mouth. He removed the instrument and checked the temperature discreetly. 39.5 degrees. Eren grimaced. Great and now, a high fever. No wonder he felt like crap.

'You there?' the voice prompted.

The brunet let slip a wistful smile. He ran a hand over his face, wondering if he could scavenge paracetamol out of somewhere.

He addressed the speaker.

'I thought you won't talk to me... unless I was dying or somethin',' Eren remarked, trying to keep the edge off his voice.

'Sounds like you are dying.'

Eren cleared his throat in a vain attempt to sound normal. 'No, uh, I am good. Perfectly fine. It's…. It's just my tonsils,' he lied.

There was a plaintive pause and Eren knew his words were being measured.

'If you're good, perfectly fine, why was there no status report yesterday?'

Eren scratched his knees, trying to keep up with the conversation. He slumped against the bed and stared at the dial of his wristwatch. Status report, he thought. Of course, why else would that pokerface call him?

'I am waiting for an answer.'

'I got caught up with something and my cover was almost blown. Won't happen again, I promise.'

'Sir,' came the addendum. To remind him of their place and the distance.

Eren ground his teeth in silence and resisted the urge to scowl.

'Right. I am sorry, _sir_ ,' he said, stressing unduly on that last part.

Eren closed his eyes, his thoughts more addled than ever before.

'You're good at that, you know,' the sick teenager said.

'At what?'

'At drawing the line between us.'

'This is not a personal call, Eren,' the older reminded him.

Eren smirked.

'Yeah, I know. Nothing is ever personal with you, is it?'

There was a long, hard silence. And Eren caught the light of noon streaking through the window. He almost regretted saying those words. Was it the fever talking? Or the resentment?

'What's wrong with you today?'

'Nothing,' Eren protested softly. 

'Are you sick?'

'No,' the younger lied. 'I am good.'

His breathing was harsh even as he spoke.

'You're a terrible liar.'

Eren said nothing and closed his eyes, feeling tired and drained.

There was a pause.

'Don't you have someone… to take care of you over there?'

Eren smiled.

'Armin's gone to his grandfather's.'

'… No one else?'

'Nope.'

'Your mother?'

The boy frowned as he rolled to his side. 'No, I don't want to cause her trouble. And hey…' Eren's spirits sank as he remembered where she was. 'I'm not a kid, you know.' Eren paused, looking at the wristwatch solemnly. 'I miss her though. When I was sick, she used to make me ginger soup. It was a stinker but it was really good.'

'So you admit to being sick.'

Eren gave a wry smile. The man _was_ shrewd, after all. Figures he'd turn the conversation on Eren, eventually.

'Does it matter? It's not like you can do anything about it, sir.'

Eren brooded in the drowsy silence before asking that one question on his mind.

'Corporal?'

'Yes, Jaeger.'

'Do you think this is impossible?'

There was a momentary pause as the older man reflected on the question.

'…what exactly are we talking about?'

The peacekeeper gave a low chuckle and drifted to sleep, leaving the comm. on. 'Never mind.'

'Jaeger?' the voice asked.

The teenager would have answered had he been awake.

'Eren?'

The boy did not stir.

 

 

 

Back on Titan, Levi sat in the balcony of his apartment, listening to the quiet snores on the other end. When he was done listening, the Lance Corporal terminated the connection and gazed at the helumbary pots lined up against the balcony.

Nothing is ever personal with you, the boy had said.

What was that supposed to mean?

Levi turned his attention to his droid pet. The rottweiler was rolling on its back, trying to get rid of the 30% discount sticker that was stuck to its tail. It had tried chasing the tail, tried pawing at it and now it was trying the rolling trick. The Lance Corporal took pity on the machine dog, caught the mutt in his arms and wrenched the label off before the mutt hurt itself.

He held up the droid dog to his face and gave it a fixed stare.

Krobe barked its thanks.

But Levi remained distracted.

'We have seen each other naked and he still won't tell me. Why is that?'

Krobe raised one ear up in puzzlement.

Levi ran a hand over its metal spine.

'Yeah, that's too much of an adult talk for you, metal-head,' Levi smirked and remembering something, the raven haired man looked at his dog with interest. 'Tell me something. You wouldn't know what this ginger is, would you?'

Krobe gave a sharp bark in answer.

'Is that a yes or a no?'

 

 

 

Sergeant Dita Ness had ventured into Military headquarters all geared up in his poncho when he heard someone utter his name. He turned and much to his surprise found Levi sitting in the lounge.

'Lance Corporal?' Dita Ness asked, confounded. 'What're you doing at the gateways?'

Levi was never one for small talk.

'So, you are going on another scouting mission?' the grey eyed man asked, peering at Dita up and down.

Sergeant Dita Ness straightened his poncho and bloated up his chest with pride.

'Why yes, I am.'

'Good then,' Levi said, taking a small slip of paper and scribbling down something on it. When he was done, the stern man handed the parchment over to the sergeant, along with a long, lumpy object wrapped in a cloth. 'Since you're going all the way, you won't mind delivering this for me, would you?'

Dita looked at the address written on the paper and then, at the long, lumpy object.

'But uh, Corporal, I am going to China today.'

'Yeah, so?' Levi said with a shrug. 'How far can it be? Make a pit stop.'

Sgt. Dita Ness sighed.

 

 

 

Eren slept like a log. When he woke up, the view outside the windows was dark. There were sounds of shuffling in his room, and Eren realized he wasn't alone. Someone was sorting out his dorm space, clearing the dumpster that was his room. Eren poked his head out of the covers and recognized the blond head.

'Armin? That you?' he asked, sitting up groggily. 'When did you get back?'

Armin looked up from his spot on the floor and smiled.

'An hour ago. How's your fever?'

'Better. How is gramps doing?' Eren asked.

The blond gestured to his head, making a cuckoo sign.

'Senile as ever. He is batcrazy, I tell you. Do you know what he did when the neighbors came around for tea--'

But even as Armin narrated the ludicrous tales of his grandfather, Eren had already ceased listening. Something had caught his attention. On his study table was a stainless steel flask. Familiar, much too familiar that he couldn't believe what it was doing here. Without losing a beat, he trudged his way to it and with shaking hands, took the flask into his hands. Eren found that there was a note taped to its bottom. The peacekeeper removed the tiny slip of paper and unfolded it.

There was no name.

Not his.

Nor the sender's.

But he didn't need to be a genius to recognize the handwriting.

 

_Ginger doesn't grow here. But iquan does._

_Nothing is impossible._

_People can always find a way._

_Especially if it's you._

 

 

Eren unscrewed the lid, and there was a strange outlandish scent wafting up to him. Something like ginger but not quite.

When Armin finished his story on how grandpa had chased his underwear thief across the neighborhood, the blond realized that Eren wasn't even listening to his story. His best friend was standing at the desk, lips pressed to the cap of a flask with tears streaming down his cheeks.

 

 

Two days later, the seniors Cal, Stuart and Benjamin hit the stalls and were taking a long shower after an intense, sweaty game of basketball. The three young men were so engrossed in their steam baths; the boys never heard the door to the dressing room creak open. They did not hear a marauder slip in. Nor did they see him taking away all their clothes and dumping them into the parking lot's garbage can.

The seniors were not amused, suffice to say.

The university was not amused either… when it found three young men running down its corridors, stark naked.

But Jean Kirstein had a field day. 

 

 

* * *

 


End file.
